Constellations are clusters of celestial bodies forming conventional figures in the sky. In addition to the scientific explanation of their appearance in the sky, there are also myths and legends, compiled on the basis of observations by ancient people of the firmament in attempts to penetrate the secrets of the universe. The myths about the peacock constellation are somewhat romanticized, but this only intensifies interest in them.
Constellation characteristic
Latin name: Pavo.
The official three-letter designation is Pav.
Occupying an area of 378 square meters. city., Peacock is at 44 positions among 88 constellations of the sky, it covers 0.916% of the area of the celestial sphere.
Borders:
- The North is the dim constellation Telescope, which contains 50 stars and is partially observed in the south of Russia.
- West - Bird of Paradise and Altar constellations .
- The South is a small and very dim constellation of Octantus.
- East and northeast are the long constellation Native American.
In 1930, the Belgian astronomer Joseph Delport established official boundaries that define a spherical polygon with nine vertices.
The constellation is non-occurring in Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Melbourne. This means that in such cities it can be observed at any time of the year.
Below is a fragment that shows the constellations Peacock and Native American on the map of the southern hemisphere of I. Doppelmeyer in 1742.
When is the best time to observe the constellation Peacock
You can see it at coordinates from 15 degrees N to -90 degrees south latitude The most favorable conditions for observation are the summer season.
As you can see in the photo below, in Russia, as well as in the territory of the post-Soviet countries, you cannot see it, because Peacock is a constellation of the southern hemisphere, which is highlighted in yellow on the world map.
Constellation history
The Dutch navigator and astronomer Peter Keyser took part in a Dutch trade expedition bound for Indonesia. During the trip, he observed the starry sky and left notes, which were subsequently transferred to the talented astronomer Peter Plantsius. The scientist carefully studied and processed Keyser's observations made in the Southern Hemisphere, and discovered the Peacock cluster. It got its name by similarity with the bird of the same name.
An image of a constellation previously unknown to science first appeared on a celestial globe made by Planius in 1598.
The display of the constellation in atlases and catalogs dates from:
- 1600 - the globe of the Flemish cartographer Jodokus Hondius with a diameter of 34 cm.
- 1603 - stellar atlas "Uranometry" published by Johann Bayer.
- 1603 - 19 bodies included in the cluster appeared for the first time in the star catalog of Frederick de Hautman.
Below is a photo of the constellation Peacock along with other celestial bodies, which are known in science under the collective name "Southern Birds". The following image first appeared in the atlas of the German astronomer Johann Bayer "Uranometry" (1603).
Ancient Greek mythology
The legend of the constellation Peacock is found in ancient Greek mythology. It is dedicated to an episode from the life of the gods of Olympus - Hera and Zeus.
The main attribute of the goddess of marriage, Hera, was a peacock - a majestic bird, shining with the beauty of its plumage. Hera was the wife of Zeus, whose love affairs made her very jealous. Once, in search of her lover, Hera noticed a dark cloud near the Inach River and decided to go down to the earth in order to scatter him and find out what was hidden inside. At this time, Zeus and his beloved, the beautiful goddess Io, hid behind a cloud from prying eyes . Seeing that the cloud was dispersing, Zeus turned Io into a white cow to hide it from his jealous wife. But Hera was wise and insightful. She wished to pick up a beautiful animal, and her husband could not refuse her request.
The stubborn giant Argus was instructed to monitor the animal. The vigilant guard tied the cow to the olive and did not take his eyes off it. The outraged Zeus called on the god of cunning Hermes to kill the giant and free the beautiful Io from under surveillance. The Roman poet Ovid wrote that, following the order of Zeus, Hermes descended to the ground and began to play the magic flute, the bewitching sounds of which were lulled by Argus. Hermes chopped off the giant's head and executed the order of his master. Frustrated by the death of Argus, Hera gathered all his eyes and placed them on the tail of a beautiful peacock. Since then, they shine brightly, like stars.
Noteworthy objects
According to official data, 456 variable stars and many pulsating variable celestial bodies, the myrid, were found in the constellation. Separately, it is necessary to highlight the brightest point of the cluster - alpha Peacock. This is a powerful star whose surface temperature is 3 times higher than solar. In science, it is known as Peacock, which was assigned to it in the late 30s of the XX century.
The photo below shows Alpha Pavlina.
On June 31, 1826, the globular cluster NGC 6752, also known as the Starfish, was discovered by the English astronomer James Dunlop in the constellation Peacock. Scientists estimate its age at 11 billion years, and the number of stars in it exceeds 100 thousand.
Below is a photo of the cluster. This bewitching spectacle of astonishing beauty in astronomy is recognized as the fourth brightest ball constellation.
Exoplanets
Exoplanets were also found in the constellation:
- in 2014, scientists discovered 7 extra-solar planets of about 5 stars;
- in 2015, another star with one exoplanet was discovered;
- in 2016, about two stars were discovered on one planet.
The study of the constellation continues. The research involves modern telescopes designed specifically for the search for extrasolar space objects.